scoring1) The friendly spirit of the league supercedes all rules. If the referee feels the need to bend the rules or to modify them in order to ensure the game is played in a friendly and fair way, this is allowed. This rarely happens. It happens to ensure people get home in one piece. For example, on one occasion a game was stopped before when it looked like two players would injure each other when competing for a ball trapped in the corner. A drop ball a metre away from the corner was awarded.

2) Only the goallie is allowed in the blue area. If an attacking player enters the area, the ball is given to the defending team's goal keeper. If a defending player enters the area and gains an advantage, a penalty is awarded. This is from the marked point. One-step is allowed by the penalty taker.

3) The normal football rules apply save for off-side, out of bounds other obvious rules. Obstruction, including trapping the ball in a corner for too long (e..g around 3 seconds) will result in an indirect free kick being awarded to the opposition.

4) Slide tackles are not allowed. Most players have to go to work the next day and we want them there in one piece!

5) If a ball is struck outside the area but then the player enters it, the play is legal.

6) When a goal is scored, the ball is given to the defending team's goal keeper who will restart the game.

7) The goal keeper can use his hands or feet at any time. I.e. kick-outs, throw or roll-outs are allowed.

8) If the goal keeper throws out the ball, it must be below head-height or thrown downwards.

9) If the ball goes over head height, the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a free kick. However, if the ball strikes the goal-keeper, the floor, wall or other inanimate object before going over-head, play on. The referee's head-height is used to determine head-height.

10) No 'one-twos' with the goal-keeper are allowed, regardless of where they start.

11) Substitutions can be made at any dead-ball situation e.g. following a foul or half-time or when it is with you team's goal-keeper or the opposition is substituting.

12) Any number of substitutes and substitutions are allowed.

13) The referee may award sin-bins for rules infractions or other penalties including sending a player off and may ban them for games. Sin bins are typically awarded for what would otherwise be yellow card offences.

14) Respect the referee and all players at all times.

15) All subs (monies) must be paid on the same night as the game is played.

16) The opposition must be at least two yards (6')  from the ball when a free kick is taken. If the ball is so close to the blue area that a defender could not be a yard away without being behind the ball, the player is allow to stand on the blue line and the attacking player may move the ball up to one yard backwards and take the free kick from there. If a player intentionally prevents a free kick from being taken or is intentionally or recklessly less than 6' away, they may be sin-binned. The player will be sin binned if the player has been warned and/or it is in the last minute of the game.

If the free kick is awarded from less than 6' away from the blue line, the team awarded the foul may move the ball backwards so that it is 6' back from the blue line.

17) Only contact fouls or hand balls are direct free kicks unless the referee directs otherwise.

18) If the referee is counting down to the half or full time whistle and there is a question as to whether the ball crossed the line before time was called, the presumption will be that the goal is scored.

19) If a goalkeeper comes out of their area and gains an advantage by doing so, a penalty will be awarded. However, a save where the keeper then slides out having let go of the ball will not result in a penalty.

20) If a player prevents a clear goal scoring opportunity (as would be regarded in 11-a-side) a penalty and sin bin of the wrong doing player of at least 2 minutes will be the normal result.

21) If one team does not play, that team must pay the full amount for both teams i.e. £80.00 or £78.00. If one team has a friendly among itself - they pay £5  per player. The total received is subtracted from the £74 or £78 owed. This because, among other reasons, the Centre's Hall Hire fees still have to be paid unless 1 month's notice is given for cancellations or changes. The win is awarded to the team who turned up for the game.  1 point is deducted from the total points of the team who did not play.

22) If a player has not completed their sin bin time when full time is called, the team will start down by the number of players still in the sin bin until that sin bin time penalty is served. I.e. if a player is sent off for what would be 5 minutes but there is 1 minute to go, that player leaves the pitch and the team that player plays for begins the next game with just 4 on the pitch for the first 4 minutes of the game.

23) The goal keeper is not allowed out of his/her area.

24) All players who play at the Harpenden or St Albans Sites must be 35+. If a player is not 35 - the team loses that match. At the Redbourn site, the minimum age is 34. If a player who is under age plays, that team loses the match.

25) Borrowing players. Players can be borrowed from other teams. However, that team cannot have substitutes unless a player who is part of their team turns up late in which case, the player who turns up late from the team must replace the borrowed player at the earliest opportunity. For the game to not be conceded, at least three non borrowed players must be playing from that team.

26) Teams must have all monies paid up-to-date three weeks before the mid point of the season and again, three weeks before the end of the season or they will be put on notice that they may well be replaced.

End of the Season

27) If two teams are in joint first pace going in to the last game of the season and they draw (without being over-taken on points), if a team scored during that game, the team who scored last during that match, wins the season.

28) If teams are on equal points at the end of the season, see Rule 22. If the teams are not on equal points going into the last game, the team who won the last head to head meeting between those teams will be declared winners. The winning team will not be decided by goal difference.